<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>three times with a wish by elicx</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27995991">three times with a wish</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/elicx/pseuds/elicx'>elicx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Humor, Diadem Tom Riddle needs more screen time, Drarry friendship &lt;3, Harry Potter Needs a Hug, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Horcruxes, M/M, Not Beta Read, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Room of Requirement, Tom Riddle Being an Asshole, Tom Riddle is His Own Warning, but also giving Harry the much needed hug, might add tags as i go, tomarry - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:47:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,144</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27995991</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/elicx/pseuds/elicx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a burning room on the seventh floor of Hogwarts that plagues Harry's dreams and an empty drifting feeling that fills his every waking moment. Somehow, he knows these two are connected. </p><p>When he gets a chance to spend another year in the place he will always call home, all Harry wants is to have a somewhat peaceful Hogwarts Eighth year. No murdering Dark Lords, no hunting horcruxes, just the normal old school work, NEWTs and trying to decide what did he really want to do in the future. </p><p>(And maybe he also wants to find out what's inside the burning room that's calling for him and in the process, possibly even fill the empty part in him with something he thought was forever lost in the room of hidden things.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. the summer after</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've been in the tomarrymort fandom for approximately 4 months now and this would be my first work in the HP fandom as well. Tomarrymort has a special place in my heart, because I love the dynamics between the characters (Harry, Tom and Voldemort) and love the characters themselves. I hope to do their characters justice as I write this fic.</p><p>I'm rusty from writing, the last time I wrote anything fictional was 2 years ago and I'm actually serious about finishing this one. </p><p>We have very little knowledge on Diadem Tom Riddle. Usually we have the Locket and the Diary but I want to try a different Tom, someone who has explored the forests of Albania, learned the most obscure magics in the farthest places of the world. </p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 1 – The Summer After</strong>
</p><p>It started like many things in his life did, with the lightning bolt that scarred his forehead.</p><p>Harry Potter ran his fingers across the raised mark hidden under his fringe. The ragged edges of skin that never healed right rubbing against the tips of his fingers. There is a feeling there, he thinks, -or rather the lack of feeling, a gaping emptiness.</p><p>He didn’t mind it much. He’d been so used to 7 years of twinges of pain from his scar that this unusual uneasy feeling of emptiness didn’t really seem like much.</p><p>But it’s June now, the second of June, and he’s due at the Ministry soon, to give some speech or the other and celebrate the first month of freedom, of safety. The first month ever since the Battle of Hogwarts, ever since-</p><p><em> - </em> <em> blood flows from the still form of his classmate, throat mauled by a rabid werewolf, the broken form of little Colin Creevey, bright spells and shouts and the silent walk out into the Forbidden Forest. Fire licking at ornate double doors and lost things burning in a screaming cacophony. Ever since- </em></p><p>-the day the Dark Lord has fallen.</p><p>Harry shakes his head and looks up into the mirror before him. Blinking the images from his mind, he runs his hand through the already very messy hair. He gives a shaky grin at his reflection and his reflection gives him a wink and a smile.</p><p>“You’re doing great, mate. Chin up, loving the bedhead,” the Harry in the mirror quips.</p><p>The green-eyed boy shakes off the last of his unease at the empty feeling before he moves back out into his bedroom in Grimmauld Place.</p><p>It was time to get dressed, smile and celebrate because he was Harry Potter, the Saviour of the Wizarding World.</p><hr/><p>“Today we say our thanks, for those who fought and those who kept hope, for our fallen heroes and those who rose to keep going. Today, we mourn. Today, we celebrate and today, we claim magic for all!”</p><p>The Atrium was magnificent in its splendor. The fireplaces which lined the sides were alight with shifting colors and the shapes of magical creatures of all kinds. The polished dark wood of the floor gleamed underneath the polished shoes of wizards and witches in their best robes. In the middle the golden statue known to be there was covered underneath a sparkling, shifting cloth. Underneath the giant statue was the stage where some ministry officials currently stood, making speeches and grand gestures of celebration.</p><p>Gilded chairs lined the front, obvious in its extravagance that this was a place of honor. It was here that Harry sat. The green eyed boy plastered a forced smile on his face as he watched the nameless ministry official continue to drone at the crowds gathered. Beside him, Ron snickered at his obvious distaste for the speech.</p><p>“At least he’s not going on about how great the Chosen One is,” he quipped as he leaned a little closer to Harry. “Not like the guy earlier who apparently had to thank you in your hundred titles.”</p><p>At this, Harry laughed. They had sat through about four different speeches which all summed up to <em> “we’re happy to be alive thank god someone actually fought that horribly mad dark lord - also we’re sad people died.” </em> Overall, it was a waste of time if he was being honest. A war has come and gone and yet the Ministry was as useless as ever, placations and pleas to whoever held power, even if right now, that seemed to be him.</p><p>Harry’s wishes of a peaceful life was, of course, a futile dream. He had gotten fanmail, well wishes and reaching hands which wanted to touch the Golden Boy instead. At the very least, he was able to bring a peaceful life for others. Right now he was just thankful that the short speech he’d given at the very beginning garnered no crazy over the top reactions from his audience, just the usual cheering and applause. </p><p>Applause broke Harry out of his thoughts, as he rushed to clap along with the others. On the stage, Kingsley, the newly elected Minister, stepped up on the stage, a smile on his face as he continued the program.</p><p>“Our magical community has suffered great losses,” Kingsley’s booming voice echoed through the atrium. “Now, we have a chance at recovery. The Ministry is now seeking your help for repair and recovery. Donations can be made through proper organizations. Volunteering can be done through the ministry with a registry set up here in the atrium. Many magical communities and homes were hit during the war, devastated by Death Eaters and battle, the Ministry will be prioritizing repairs in these magical areas. First among these is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which, under the purview of Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, we hope to open its doors to witches and wizards for learning this coming school year.”</p><p>Kingsley’s announcement of the repairs brought a hush to the audience. Hogwarts, to almost all the wizards and witches present, had once been their home. Where they had grown for seven years, it was undoubtedly dear to them all.</p><p>Out of all the damage done to the whole of Magical Britain, it was only Hogwarts that stood, still with the most damage, with the most casualties in one night. This, the site of where it all ended. Hogwarts, as it was currently, was no place for a school. Already the very first of the repairs has started, rubble cleared and bodies found all over the sprawling grounds of the castle. Each area bore its marks from battle, blown walls, whole chunks of floor missing and scuff mark.</p><p>Harry had seen it only once. The day after once he had hugged those who had survived and looked upon those that lay in the great hall, he walked through the halls of his home. </p><p><em> Oh Tom Riddle, </em> he had thought, his heart breaking at the site of his home destroyed and in pieces, <em> this was our home and yet we have destroyed it. </em></p><p>Even now, a month since he had seen the school, Harry mourned the damage to his home and regretted the fact that he’d been dragged around the Ministry, unable to find a moment to help out the initial repairs. </p><p>A muted, but much more sincere applause broke out as Kingsley finished his announcements with an invitation to mingle and talk. One by one, the attendees stood, masks of polite indifference on the faces of the purebloods and eager smiles on the muggleborns in attendance. Despite the end of the war, prejudice and discrimination was still apparent among the masses. </p><p>This, Harry thinks, was an issue he can ignore for the time being, as long as no one was killing anyone.</p><p>As expected, a flock of people approached the trio. Ron with his hand around Hermione’s waist, stood at his side as people came up to congratulate them. Empty words of how they had always believed in him (Ron had hid a laugh as one enthusiastic wizard told him about burning all the articles on him during his fifth year) and had hoped that he was alive and well (a lie as he knew many of them had believed his status as Undesirable No. 1).</p><p>Finally, they were left alone with only McGonagall, Kingsley as well as a few from Dumbledore’s Army. </p><p>McGonagall cast a critical eye at the group, her lips pursing before forming into a thin smile.</p><p>“It is always satisfying to see your students flourishing.”</p><p>Harry and his friends beamed at their professor, enjoying the rare occasion of praise from the strict teacher.</p><p>“We wouldn’t be here without you professor,” Hermione said sincerely, probably thinking not only of their years of education under her wing but of the professor’s part in the final battle.</p><p>“Yeah, that bit with the armor was brilliant! I never knew the Hogwarts statues could move,” Ron added. “We all fought so that we could all survive, professor. Thank you.”</p><p>Harry idly stood as his friends talked amongst themselves. Talking of the battle in terms of the wondrous feats of magic performed. Harry himself, appreciated greatly the divination balls and devil snares thrown at the enemies below. Seemingly simple actions that while weren't incredible spells and charms had its own impact. </p><p>Actually, the green eyed boy would really rather not think about incredible feats of magic. Rather not concentrate on the flash of spellfire and chaos of the fight and the raging inferno of a burning room. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and ignored the imagined smell of smoke that filled his nostrils. Instead,  he centered himself to the sound of the chatter around him.</p><p>A hand snaked around his wrist and he fought the flinch that came. Opening his eyes, he saw Hermione smiling at him with worry in her eyes.</p><p>“Harry?”</p><p>He smiled at them reassuringly. “Yeah ’Mione?”</p><p>“We were thinking about having a smaller gathering, just us, you know, to commemorate the one month. And to remember everyone else.”</p><p>This time Harry’s smile was much more genuine. This organized commemoration filled with long speeches and gilded chairs was nice, It reminded him that he had fought not only for those he cared for but also the whole of the Wizarding World. But remembering the war with his friends sounded much more right to him.</p><p>“Yes, definitely, that sounds great,” he replied.</p><p>He was okay, he thought, he really was. The empty feeling plaquing him was still there but right now, in the Ministry surrounded by those he considered  family, he could ignore it just a little bit better.</p><hr/><p>In the distance, the castle of Hogwarts loomed in front of them.</p><p>Harry had finally <em> finally </em>been able to escape his duties at the Ministry. A few days after the Commemoration, he’d insisted that as he had volunteered for repairs so he absolutely couldn’t visit this pureblood family that invited him to one gala or another.</p><p>And so here he was at last, <em> home. </em></p><p>Despite the weeks of repairs that had already been tentatively started, the castle was still very obviously in disrepair. From the distance, he could see the remains of the towers with its top blown clean off, gaping holes in the walls and large amounts of rubble yet to be vanished or disposed of littered the castle grounds. Even the wards of the castle, while thankfully still active and recovering from the onslaught of Voldemort’s magic, was still in a fragile state and so no one was allowed to apparate close to the castle or floo in. </p><p>The trek to the castle was done with small talk. Harry chose to stay silent, listening to the chatter of the wizards and witches around him. Some he knew as older Hogwarts students who had graduated in the years he had studied at Hogwarts, others were complete strangers, even fewer were those in his year, either still in mourning or recovering. </p><p>Today was the first of the few days he had gone out without the company of his two best friends, deigning to give Ron and Hermione their privacy without worrying for his state back at Grimmauld Place. They were aware that he’d be at Hogwarts today and despite the battle that ransacked it, it will always be a safe place to them.</p><p>A few steps away from him walked Luna Lovegood, staring up at the sky as if seeing something amazing. As if feeling his gaze, the light blue eyes of the Ravenclaw met his green ones. He startled at the connection. Harry had, after all, made sure to use his invisibility cloak today to avoid the sure stares and murmurs that would follow him. </p><p>The girl trailed closer to him even as she brought her gaze back to the sky above. Soon enough, she was walking side by side with Harry, arm occasionally swinging and brushing against the unusual material of the cloak. Harry smiled at her from beneath his cloak. Of course if anyone would be able to tell he was here it would be the odd blonde Ravenclaw. He watched as Luna’s lips twisted up into a bright smile of her own.</p><p>“Hey Harry, I see you’re clear of Wrackspurts today. You must be having a wonderfully clear day aren’t you?” The unusual girl commented quietly.</p><p>Harry tilted his head, sure that Luna would notice the motion despite his current invisibility.</p><p>“It’s been a while since I’ve been outside doing something I would love to do,” he replied, unsure about Wrackspurts but agreeing with her statement either way. “The castle might be a bit under the weather but it feels great to be home, Luna.”</p><p>“Yes, you’ll find that you often find the things you lost at home.”</p><p>He laughed, pretty sure he didn’t <em> lose </em>anything at Hogwarts. Aside from the dozens of lives of his peers, his classmates and friends and those he saw as family-</p><p>Harry forcefully shoved away the thought of loss from his mind.</p><p>Luna gave him a sad, knowing smile, tinged with the edges of worry.</p><p>They made the rest of the way to the school in comfortable and understanding silence. The closer they got to the gates of the magical castle, the lighter Harry felt. With each step he felt the urge to run through the gates and do somersaults on the fields. Not even the blocks of walls he could see lying scattered on the grounds dampened his mood, knowing that he was there to fix this and make it better.</p><p>He was <em> home. </em></p><p>The volunteer forces converged in the recently repaired Great Hall, the only room which had been completely repaired from the battle. Up front Professor McGonagall directs the volunteers into neat groups to tackle different areas and making sure they didn’t do further damage by casting spells they don’t know. Harry, and at his side, Luna, lingers at the back, waiting for the vast Hall to empty out before approaching. Soon enough, the groups headed out and the repairs for today were officially underway.</p><p>Harry and Luna approached the front, pulling the invisibility cloak off as he got to the head table. McGonagall smiled at the sight of her two students.</p><p>“I’d thought I saw your name in the volunteer sheets, Mr. Potter,” she said. “I thought it was quite unusual for you to not show up.”</p><p>The two smiled up at their old professor, still as stern and strict as ever. </p><p>“Er… We thought it best to minimize the attention, because, well you know professor,” Harry awkwardly rubs the back of his head in a sheepish motion.</p><p>The newly appointed Headmistress surveyed the two students before sending them away to work on whatever part of the castle they deemed fit.</p><p>In the headmistress' words, Harry was quite capable of helping in the repairs without crowds of admirers around him and Luna would be perfect company.</p><p>The two students roamed the castle, unsure which area to start. The walls and floor, McGonagall had stated, were priority. The charms for any magical area would be taken care of by professionals.</p><p>Harry thought of the areas he remembered to be the most affected. Of course there was the now repaired Great Hall and the crumbling towers he had seen on the way here. He found his mind drift to the memory of fire and burned floors of a certain room on the seventh floor. </p><p>His heart hurt at remembrance. The memory of teaching defense to his classmates in the hidden room and their chorus of <em> Expelliarmus </em> being practice overlapping with the remembrance of Draco’s sobs at his back and screams of a burning boy.</p><p>The image of the ornate double doors of the Room of Hidden Things bloomed in his mind along with the echoing feeling of emptiness he’d felt days prior. Unbidden, he remembered Luna’s words from earlier.</p><p>
  <em> You’ll find that you often find the things you lost at home. </em>
</p><p>Suddenly, he was gripped by the need to know if the door would show up and the room would welcome him in.</p><p>The thought took him and he grabbed Luna’s hand, skirting around big groups and through secret passages that weren’t caved in. Luna followed along in silence, humming a tune behind him. Harry and Luna pushed through shattered walls of classrooms and jumped across gaps in the stairs. He maneuvered them through sections of the fallen ceiling on lying on the floor as he bounded the last steps to the sixth floor.</p><p>Urgency took him as they reached the closest set of stairs to the seventh floor only to despair to find it cleaved cleanly in half by some spell. Harry, never the one to give up, set out to the next closest staircase to find it just as broken as the first, to the next and the next and the next.</p><p>Harry started up at the last broken stair they came to. He <em> needed </em> to see if the doors would unfold into existence once he walked three times past its blank canvas. In his panic, he could feel heat scorch his skin and smoke fill his vision. The room was on fire and it was burning, had been burning for a month now, he <em> knew and he had to help. </em></p><p>Luna, who he had at one point let go of, held his hand once more. Harry blinked past the phantom smoke to look into startlingly clear blue eyes.</p><p>“Harry,” she murmured. “You shouldn’t go up to the seventh floor yet. Let it find its own place first, find its home.”</p><p>She brought him closer, a smile on her lips.</p><p>“Don’t worry, you’ll be there when everything’s ready.”</p><p>With those unusual words, Harry let Luna lead him away from the broken stairs towards the seventh floor. Slowly his vision cleared and he calmed.</p><p>He spent the rest of the day on repairs in the dungeons, far far away from the blank wall hiding a room that burned inside far far above him.</p><p>That was the first of many nights that Harry dreamed of fire.</p><hr/><p>“What?!”</p><p>The two young men chorused as they stared wide-eyed at the headmistress in front of them.</p><p>“But professor I’m sure that after fighting in a god-damned war-”</p><p>“Language, Ron!” Hermione interjected.</p><p>“-Sorry professor, but Eighth Year?!”</p><p>“You of course have the option of taking your NEWTs at the Ministry, Mr. Weasley, but the Ministry has suggested that all Seventh Year students of the past year retake their last year in lieu of the sham of education being taught in this institution under the Dark Lord’s regime.”</p><p>Professor McGonagall’s stern reprimand, reminded the trio that they had, indeed, been on the run last year and had not even received any sort of Seventh Year education. Hermione, of course, nodded along with the professor’s spiel.</p><p>Ron cast a look at Harry, searching for backup. It was reasonable of course, as the two best mates had always been planning to go into the Auror Program and seeing as how they’ve just played a big part in defeating the Dark Lord, the dark wizards they’d be going after seemed a lot easier. However…</p><p>“I think they’re right, Ron,” Harry said, giving his best mate an apologetic look.</p><p>“I kinda want to have a completely normal year for once and maybe learn something without the pressure of dying,” he said wryly.</p><p>Harry pushed away from the table he was leaning on. The trio and the Headmistress were in the Gryffindor Head of House Office, after she had called out to Hermione, Ron and Harry as they were wandering the castle and admiring the excellent handiwork of the repairs. Herding them into her former office, she’d broken the news to the trio.</p><p>“Honestly, Ronald, you would think actually getting seven years of education is the end of the world for you.”</p><p>Hermione had, of course, been approving of the announcement of  Hogwarts opening a special year just for those who should’ve graduated the past year. This included the Golden Trio who had spent their Seventh Year far far away from Hogwarts and actually being in the school for only a singular day the past school year.</p><p>“You, of course, are free to choose whether or not you’ll take this offer.”</p><p>The stern look from McGonagall obviously showed which decision she thought was right.</p><p>“Let me remind you that you need at least an O in Defense, no grade lower than A and at least 3 EEs in your NEWTs to even be considered in the Auror Program, and I truly hope that my Gryffindors are above <em>pulling status as a</em> <em>war hero</em> to get into a program.”</p><p>Ron looked away, an embarrassed blush coloring him even more red than usual. Harry simply nodded. While he knew that he could probably get those grades (maybe, considering that Harry had been reading quite a bit when there was nothing to do but go through Hermione’s on-the-run book collection), he wouldn’t say no to an actual honest to goodness school year spent for learning. Which, considering the Dark Lord was dead, seemed about 95% likely to happen.</p><p>(Harry’s acquiescence had absolutely nothing to do with the hidden burning room a few floors above them and being there when it was ready, <em> whatever that meant </em>)</p><p>The conversation went on about the classes to be taken (Hermione), Quidditch teams (Ron) and an update on the final repairs (Harry), until the exhausted trio bid the Headmistress farewell.</p><p>“I’ve never been more proud of my students than I am of the three of you,” the Headmistress had said, eyes twinkling in a manner similar to the former Headmaster even with her rigid stance. “Hogwarts would not be standing as it is now without your help. Thank you.”</p><p>Misty-eyed, Harry, Ron and Hermione, left the office, taking a slow walk through the castle.</p><p>Where rubble had littered the courtyard and holes in every other wall, there was now no such damage to be seen. It was as if they had travelled back in time to simpler days of schoolyard drama and students despairing over exams.</p><p>It had taken a half a month to completely clear any rubble, another half to repair the walls, classrooms and any hole to be found in the castle and another full month specifically for enchanting the castle. In those long 2 months (which would undoubtedly be longer without the magic of, well, magic), Hogwarts slowly went back to its former glory.</p><p>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was standing tall and proud once again, and Harry felt warm knowing that a part of those walls were made by his magic, a part of him will forever consider it his home.</p><p>“Maybe Eighth Year wouldn’t be so bad after all,” Ron murmured, giving words to the unvoiced thoughts of the trio.</p><p>The trio shared a smile and walked out of the gilded gates together. With one final look at the towering castle, with its tall towers, glowing softly in the sunset, the three of them disappeared into the night knowing they’ll be back for another grand adventure in its halls.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. a hogwarts welcome</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Welcoming Feast, Eighth Years and Harry's forever unusual dreams</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy New Year everyone!</p><p>I meant to update before 2020 ends but I still haven't finished all my academic requirements :'( Here you go! The product of multiple quick 3am writing sessions to cobble together the second chapter (this was supposed to have more but it was getting too long)</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2 - Hogwarts</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>The yearly journey to Hogwarts was uneventful. With the use of his trusty invisibility cloak (which Harry made sure to use after remembering how useful it was on the first day of repairs), he avoided trouble the best he could.</p><p>Well he still managed to have to run from screaming girls with Neville in tow, but that was a lot less trouble than usual.</p><p>The train ride had been relatively quiet in comparison to the hustle and bustle of the Platform 9 ¾ during the boarding. Aside from the students and their families, reporters and even working wizards and witches had swarmed the platform, making it much more crowded than usual. The buzz regarding the returning Eighth Years hadn’t died down in the month since it was officially announced. Instead, any Eighth Year known for their role in the battle had been stalked and questioned in hopes for a statement about their final year repeat. </p><p>Honestly, most of them had thought their Seventh Year was their last year being alive, and now here they were, alive and officially on their last carriage ride into Hogwarts gates.</p><p>Many of the students were looking at the thestrals in awe and sadness. Their skeletal forms were beautiful and intimidating in an ethereal sort of way, yet these students understood the meaning behind the fact that they could see the horses. The long procession of carriages were mostly silent, friends, sitting with friends with gaps in between, saved in remembrance for those not there. Yet, despite the quiet, there was also a lightness that had been absent in the past 2 years.</p><p>The children were relaxed in a way they had not been before. No longer were they huddled in fear, trading news and stories in whispers. Now, while they mourned their losses, they also celebrated their peace.</p><p>As the castle came into view, the first students to see it stood in their still moving carriages, obvious excitement on their faces. The Hogwarts Castle stood proudly before them, lights on in all visible windows, dimly glowing with magic and walls completely whole. Towers stood tall and the wards pulsed with protective magic as carriage after carriage crossed its borders.</p><p>While many of them had been constantly visiting and stopping by for repairs for almost 3 whole months now, and there was still nothing like stepping foot in the gate of Hogwarts as a student. </p><p>As soon as the carriages stopped. the students jumped off their seats and ran towards the regal double doors of the Entrance Hall, shouting with glee. Even the strictest of the purebloods cheered as they stepped on the soft grass of the castle grounds, hugging each other and sharing smiles of happiness.</p><p>Young or old, they had all seen the aftermath of the battle. Some had witnessed it personally while most had seen the photographs of debris scattered across the ground and holes in the walls of their beloved castle. Seeing the school standing complete and utterly magical once again, the students couldn’t help but celebrate.</p><p>To these youths, seeing their school truly showed that the war was over. They were safe, they were at peace and they were simply just students once more.</p><p>One by one, the students entered the castle, heading towards the Great Hall for the Welcoming Feast. The first years, led by boat, lingered in the Entrance Hall to wait for their sorting. In the hall, students chattered, greeted each other with hugs. The spaces were more obvious than ever in the enormous space which was the Great Hall but they all breached the gaps with words of comfort and touches of support.</p><p>Harry walked into the Great Hall, invisibility cloak folded safely underneath his robes (he’d been scolded severely by a cross Hermione for bringing up the idea of spending the Welcoming Feast underneath his cloak, in his defence he really didn’t like the stares) and promptly stopped. He’d been in the hall hundreds of times since the battle yet… the last time he’d seen it this full of people, half of them were dead and the other half were fighting for their lives. Harry’s eyes widened, reflexively going for his wand. Beside him Ron and Hermione tensed. A loud roar surrounded him, there was screaming except it wasn’t screaming it was-</p><p>-clapping. The cold fear that had suddenly filled him slowly dissipated and his racing heart warmed his blood as he realized that the loud roar came from the students who had stood up and were clapping, smiles on their faces. </p><p>
  <em> This is crazy. </em>
</p><p>His green eyes jumped from table to table. Everyone, no matter what house, were united in their joy and celebration of being able to have another good year at Hogwarts. Even the Slytherins were smiling, despite their position on the opposite side. </p><p>He’d heard horror stories of the previous year under Voldemort’s farce of an education. For a man who claimed to have wanted to be the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, he sure had no idea what was needed to teach the younger generation. Harry was pretty sure torturing the majority of the students and having the rest do the torturing was definitely not a conducive learning experience. Apparently everyone thought so as well.</p><p>Hogwarts was united in their collective hate for the past year. </p><p>Despite the sudden burst of adrenaline still coursing through his veins from the sudden shock earlier, Harry gave his biggest smile and headed to the Gryffindor table. It was his first day of his last year and despite a deep seated conviction that the year was gonna go to shit, the Welcoming Feast was a good start. Still grinning like a fool Harry settled into his seat surrounded by fellow Eighth Years and waited for the Sorting to begin.</p><p>Up in front the Sorting Hat stood still as the first years filed in, awe in their eyes. Harry tried to imagine what they could be feeling, remembering his own fear about being sent back home. Well, they were going to be surprised when they’d find a new home here instead.</p><p>“Hey I think this is the first time you’d be seeing the Sorting since Fifth Year right?” Ron said.</p><p>“I don’t think Fifth Year should count.” Harry replied, tearing his attention from the rest of the Great Hall.</p><p>“What? Why not?” Hermione asked, brows furrowed as she tried to recall whatever shenanigans they had gotten up to 3 years ago.</p><p>“Well, anything with Umbridge doesn’t count.” </p><p>Ron and Hermione both made a face at the reminder of the pink toad they had as a professor that year.</p><p>“Ugh yeah. Who do you think would be the DADA Professor this year though? The curse <em> should </em> be broken right since the caster is dead.”</p><p>“Unless…” Harry interjected, a joking tone evident in his voice.</p><p>At his joke, several heads swivelled towards him in alarm. The Gryffindors sitting around him jumped and tensed.</p><p>“Er… Sorry bad joke. He’s dead I promise,” Harry said sheepishly at the scowling faces of his classmates.</p><p>His gaze drifted away from them towards the spot slightly off center of the Great Hall. Nothing marked it as anything special yet there was a distinct empty space as students and even first years shifted to stay out of the spot where Voldemort fell.</p><p>“We made sure of it.” Harry said, tone much more serious.</p><p>Up front, a giant rip formed on the hat, breaking into a grin. The sudden quiet of the hall broke the tense atmosphere of the group as their attention was drawn instead to the song the hat was about to sing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “ </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Many many years has gone </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And many many years will come </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Since such a smart and stylish hat as me </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Has magically come to be  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>(the students watched as what seemed to be eyes on the hat winked at this last line)</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> From the Founders Four well known </em>
</p><p>
  <em> For certain values they each owned </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The sweet Helga Hufflepuff and her lot </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Full of fierce kindness and loyalty </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And daring Godric Gryffindor and his chosen </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Always so strong, brave and emboldened </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Wise Rowena Ravenclaw and her students </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Who prized knowledge above it all </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And last but none are at all are the least </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Was cunning Salazar Slytherin and his circle </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Who always knew how be the very best </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Four houses for the four good founding friends </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But remember this, young wizards and witches </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Gryffindor or Slytherin </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Hogwarts is united inside the castle grounds </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And inside your hearts and inside your magic </em>
</p><p>
  <em> So put me on those heads of yours </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And do not fear a single bit </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Hogwarts is home to many </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Him, her and them, me and you </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And every single bit of Hogwarts too! </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Applause broke out at the end of the hat’s yearly song. Despite the usual jaunty tune that the song more or less sang his poems along to, the atmosphere in the hall was of soft warmth and nostalgia. Hogwarts Sorting Hat definitely made the Welcoming Feast feel like a welcome back to home.</p><p>The newly appointed Deputy Headmaster, Professor Flitwick, stands next to a stool. He flicks his wand twice, one to make the hat float and the other towards himself. He calls the first name.</p><p> </p><p>“Abelion, Ariadne” </p><p> </p><p>With the Sorting having started, the Gryffindors once again turned back to each other. Ron, as was usual, was impatiently tapping the table, looking forlornly at the space where the food would appear. On the red-head’s front, right beside Hermione, Neville leaned forward.</p><p>“They’re so <em> tiny! </em>” Neville, arguably one of the Eighth Years who went from the tiniest first year ever to the towering hulk of a young man he was now, exclaimed.</p><p>“They’re eleven, of course they’re tiny,” Seamus said from where he sat in between Neville and Dean.</p><p>“Remember how small you were when you were a firstie? You were even smaller than them.”</p><p>“Well, Harry was even smaller than I was!”</p><p>Harry scowled at the boy and Ron snickered at his left. It wasn’t his fault he hardly got meals to eat back then, not that he was going to tell them about that.</p><p>The inane conversation continued, broken only to applaud a new Gryffindor and occasionally for the other houses as well. Their talk drifted from the sizes of eleven year olds (No, not that kind of size, McLaggen) to discussing what classes to expect in their Eighth Year, led by (to no one’s surprise) Hermione.</p><p>“I’m sure they’ll be repeating the basics of your Seventh Year last year. Quite a lot of us missed it you know.”</p><p>“Splendid, I could probably sleep through a lot of classes then!”</p><p>Hermione’s reply was cut off by the last round of applause as Zhang, Frank went to Hufflepuff. </p><p>In the headmistress chair, McGonagall stood up. Sparks flew from her wand, turning the candles colors from red to yellow to blue to green before settling back to its usual normal candlelight. Attention caught, the students in the Hall turned toward the newly appointed Headmistress.</p><p>“Welcome to our new students and the returning ones,” Headmistress McGonagall started, her stern voice carrying over the crowds. “We are happy to welcome a new generation of students and open our doors once more to our Eighth Years. May these halls be the home to each of your new adventures and lessons learned. And with that I would like to welcome our new, and hopefully long-term Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Professor Helius Proudfoot. He has recently retired as an auror before taking up the position.”</p><p>Proudfoot looked, in a word, proud. The new professor had black wavy hair that reached to his shoulders and blue eyes that gleamed. A good-natured smile was not at all marred by a distinct scar that stood out from his left eye slashing down his cheek. His nose looked noticeably squished as if someone introduced a bludger to his face. All eight year levels clapped loudly. They had high hopes for a DADA professor sticking to his position for more than a year.</p><p>“Let’s leave the rest of the announcements later, when stomachs have been filled.” Mcgonagall cast a look at Ron specifically and Ron beamed back at their ex-professor. “Let us eat!”</p><p>At the final word, the customary dishes appeared before the students.</p><p>“Hey, can I sit here?” </p><p>Ginny Weasley appeared behind Harry, coming from wherever she had been sitting with her fellow Seventh Years. The red head prodded Fay Dunbar who let the younger Weasley sit beside Harry.</p><p>“I see that Ron’s already shovelling food in his face,” Ginny snickered as she piled a piece of roasted chicken on her plate that had materialized in front of her seat.</p><p>“Well nothing like a good Hogwarts Feast.”</p><p>Harry took pieces from different dishes to his own plate. After a moment of consideration, he added two more treacle tarts to the side of his plate. Across him, Hermione huffed and waved her wand, letting the plate full of treacle tarts in front of Harry.</p><p>“What have you guys been up to?” Dean asked.</p><p>“Well, we’ve been going around but mostly the Ministry and Hogwarts,” Harry made a face, glad that he was free from any Ministry functions for the year on the grounds of his education. “I’ve been helping in repairs here and there.”</p><p>“Same here, but ‘Mione and I go to the Ministry alot more,” Ron added between bited. “We’ve been at the Ministry, working on drafting a few new laws. Things definitely need to change.” </p><p>Hermione scowled, showing her agreement in the way she banged her cup on the table.</p><p>“Ron? Making laws?” Ginny teased her older brother despite knowing perfectly well it was true. Ron glared at her.</p><p>“Mostly, I stayed at home with Gran but I did try my best to help out in volunteering as well. We did Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, did some repair in Tutshire and Upper Flagley as well. Ginny, you were there too right?”</p><p>“Yup, volunteered as soon as I could. Though I never did see you here at Hogwarts Harry?”</p><p>“Er… I may or may not have been hiding under the cloak alot?”</p><p>The six stared incredulously at the young man.</p><p>“I was with Luna though!” Harry added. “Plus I took it off near the last month, apparently there were complaints of me being a ghost who wanted to help in repairs.”</p><p>They laughed at the comment, Imagining an invisible Harry repairing walls in front of crowds. Harry had a tendency to seem extra magical at times, what with his incredible luck and magical power, they could see how people could have thought he was a ghost.</p><p>“So it was you! Did you also make all the stair bannisters feel weirdly hot? Noone could hold it sometimes.”</p><p>Harry’s mind flashed briefly to the <em> burning room </em> 6 floors above them.</p><p>“Ah!” Ron jumped away from Harry, holding his shoulder that had been against Harry’s earlier.</p><p>“You got really hot for a second there mate,” Ron looked at him in concern. “You okay?”</p><p>“Ah yeah I, er- I just remembered my own experience with a burning staircase?” Harry fibbed. “I swear it wasn’t me though, must be something wrong with the spells.”</p><p>After a poke from both Ginny and Ron and declaring him to be back to normal temperature, the conversation drifted back to the others.</p><p>At least all of Harry’s yearmates in Dumbledore’s Army had decided to return. Zacharias Smith in Hufflepuff, dropped by to be his usual jerk self before proclaiming telling them he was glad they were alive before promptly going back to Hufflepuff. Luna had, at one point, sat between Ginny and Ron to steal one of Harry’s treacle tarts with a smile and disappearing back to the Ravenclaw table. The Great Hall was noisy, but it wasn’t the sounds of battle but the sounds of happy chatter and greetings. A bunch of first years had already gone up to Harry for an autograph.</p><p>Finally, the last spoon was put down and the meal vanished from the tables. There were a bunch of drowsy exclamations from a couple of first years before the students collectively turned their attention back to the Staff’s table up front.</p><p>“Here’s to another year of Hogwarts’s magical education. Eighth Years will be housed at the Turris Medius which has been renovated. Professor Septima Vector will be there to meet you to further talk about your final year.”</p><p>A murmur of agreement came from the Eighth Years scattered around the four long tables at this. It would definitely be interesting not living divided in different houses but as a year group.</p><p>“Lastly, the school has been repaired. However, please report to any professor if you notice any problems immediately. The school has suffered great damage which we were able to fix with our hard working volunteers. But magic is a volatile thing and Hogwarts is home to very old magic,” the headmistress tone turned from somber to something  happier. “I am looking forward to this year with you. Once again, to our new students, welcome! To our returning students, welcome back! </p><p>“Just before we head to sleep,” a long drawn out D note rang in the air. “Pick your favorite tune and let us all sing together Hoggy Warty Hogwarts.”</p><p>The students broke out into laughter before starting all together.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Teach us something please, </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Harry looked at his fellow students. Even the first years, who looked a little lost, tried to sing along.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Whether we be old and bald, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Or young with scabby knees, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Our heads could do with filling, </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Behind him a group of Hufflepuffs mimed tapping their own heads.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> With some interesting stuff, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> For now they're bare and full of air, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Dead flies and bits of fluff, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> So teach us things worth knowing, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Bring back what we've forgot, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Just do your best, we'll do the rest, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And learn until our brains all rot. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Once again applause and laughter broke out among the students as the last few straggling singers finished their own tunes with Flitwick still conducting for them. Despite their differences, with their houses or their alliances, right now the students felt the same thing towards their beloved school.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Home. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The song finished, the students stood to leave, chatting between themselves once more. The prefects hurried to organize and lead their respective houses back to their dorms. The Eighth Years, however, drew together. Even the Slytherins lingered at the edge of the group.</p><p>Harry’s eyes met the blue grey of Draco Malfoy’s. Malfoy, who he remembered last seeing hugging his parents, unsure about his place in Hogwarts, now standing proudly in the Great Hall as if he would fight anyone who argued they shouldn’t be here.</p><p>Draco Malfoy walked forward, the other students parting for him and Harry. Ron and Hermione stood beside him, meeting Malfoy head on with the shorter boy. Stopping just in front of the young hero, Malfoy thrust his hand forward.</p><p>“Potter,” Malfoy drawled, eyes scanning the crowd watching them. “Truce?”</p><p>Harry raised an eyebrow at the blonde then looked at the hand in between them. The young man recalled the first time this has happened, with Malfoy’s offer of friendship and the subsequent downward spiral of their rivalry ending in a fiery chase inside the Room of Requirement <em> (which was burning burning burning) </em>. Then he thought about Narcissa Malfoy declaring his dead to the Dark Lord. And thought about Ron’s and Hermione’s disbelieving stories about Draco Malfoy’s help going over laws in the past summer.</p><p>“Truce,” Harry said.</p><p>A look of relief flashed across Malfoy’s face before schooling itself into blank indifference with just the teensiest bit of a smile.</p><p>And with that the group of Eighth Year Slytherins consisting of Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Goyle, Theodore and the others merged with the other houses. While everyone was still somewhat tense, no one picked a fight and to Harry it was a step in the right direction. Together, the group headed toward the Turris Medius.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Upon reaching Professor Vector standing beside a painting of young twins frolicking around a field of flowers, the group came to a halt.</p><p>“Listen up,” the Arithmancy Professor spoke loudly. “The password involves a word and a flower and changes each week. The password for this week is <em> Fantasma </em>  and the flower to be identified is the <em> Monotropa Uniflora </em>.”</p><p>The professor touched at a bunch of waxy white flowers with black specks that curved at the end. The twins in the portrait giggled and swung open.</p><p>“If you don’t know what a flower looks like then I suggest you go visit the library before you return to the tower or ask someone who might know.”</p><p>Neville squeaked excitedly. Being the best at Herbology in their year, he was bound to be asked more than once in the school year.</p><p>The Eighth Years filed into the tower as Professor Vector continued to explain to them.</p><p>“You’d be having different classes than the Seventh Years, unfortunately, the professors can’t handle all of you at once.”</p><p>“Here in the dorm, you’d have your own small kitchen here with storage tied directly to the Hogwarts kitchen. You can’t ask elves to cook for you here. If you don’t want to cook, walk to the castle kitchen instead. Stocking your own food here is up to you, make labels, sort it out by yourselves somehow.”</p><p>They felt weirdly like a big family who was having a tour of their new house.</p><p>Professor Vector waved towards two sets of stairs on one side of the open common room.</p><p>“Those stairs lead up to your rooms. Congratulations, you all get your own rooms. However, boys and girls can’t stay in a room alone together. To claim a room, hold the doorknob and verbally state your name and your claim to the room. Rules, password changes and announcements are up on your standard bulletin board.”</p><p>The Arithmancy Professor said all this in quick, short sentences, her statements all straight to the point. It was a good method for a professor short on time but when keeping the attention of young adults, well-</p><p>Harry watched as Zacharias Smith prods his wand against the stove only for it to burst into fire, singing his eyebrows. Hermione doused him with water while Ron snickered beside him.</p><p>In front of them, Professor Vector continued her spiel about how they were all eighteen year olds now and so now head would be assigned to them. They were expected to be responsible adults.</p><p>Smith pointed his wand at himself and hair grew where his eyebrows should be.</p><p>Ah yes, Harry thought, the Eighth Years rooming together will be perfectly fine.</p><p>“However,” the group’s attention turned back to the professor at her serious tone. “Just because you are now independent adults merely finishing up your last year of studies for your NEWTS does not at all mean that we, staff members, don’t care about you.”</p><p>Professor Vector’s voice softened. “You have been through a war. You have lost people, some of them should be here right now.”</p><p>They all shifted uncomfortably, thoughts drifting to Lavender Brown and even Vincent Crabbe. Lavender may have been shallow and loud at times but she had been brave and fierce, she had fought to the end and had probably taken down plenty of enemies. Vincent Crabbe was… he wasn’t the best person in their year and had died on the opposite side of the war but he was young and you could see the empty space he left behind in the gap at Draco’s side. Somehow the Slytherin’s felt unbalanced much like how the Gryffindors had left a seat fat Parvati’s side.</p><p>“You can come talk to us. Right now we have a professor and student relationship however we have also all fought side by side or at least had known fear in the hands of the Dark Lord. If you have any problems, all Hogwarts professors have agreed that you are welcome in our offices.”</p><p>Professor Vector smiled at them. </p><p>“Now, I’ll leave you to get yourselves sorted in your rooms. And I expect that you, Eighth Years will be the picture of unity for the younger years.”</p><p>With those final words she left the room and the students settled in the common room. Harry bid them all goodnight, heading up to the first door on the boy’s side of the dorms to claim it. This was a perfect room for both escape and keeping an eye on people who entered. Harry went in and freshened up before lying on his bed.</p><p>And stayed awake.</p><p>Hogwarts was beautiful and he missed it so bad. Seeing it again, as a student had warmed his heart but he couldn’t stop the overlaying image of the shattered castle. He couldn’t stop thinking about the way the loud applause that greeted them when they entered the Hall made him jump and how for a moment he did not see his living, clapping classmates, but the bodies of the dead laid down in the hall meant for celebration. Couldn’t help but imagine Lavender sitting beside the unusually quiet Parvati or the Creeveys sneaking to take his picture. </p><p>So many had died and his home was the place it had happened.</p><p>He felt so empty.</p><p>The door opened and closed. Two sets of footfalls sounded as he turned from his position on the bed. He would recognize that sound anywhere, no matter if it was boots crunching down on dead leaves and soil or running through the marble floors of the Ministry. Hermione and Ron settled at the foot of his bed.</p><p>“Harry?” Hermione said. “Do you mind if we all sleep here tonight?”</p><p>“It’s just that it’s strange being back here,” Ron continued.</p><p>After the war, the trio had taken to staying in the same bedroom. Incredibly awkward at times when you wake up to your best friends holding each other's hands but he knew while they may not love him in a romantic way, his two best friends had his heart platonically. They had managed to be able to fall asleep without each other’s company a month back but being back in Hogwarts was…</p><p>...Harry could imagine the sound of Crabbe’s terrified screams as his own fire burned him to death.</p><p>“Yeah, of course,” Harry scooted to the side of the bed big enough for the three of them.</p><p>It didn’t take long for the messy haired raven to fall asleep to the sound of soft bickering as Ron complained about Hermione’s cold feet. (They were definitely an old married couple)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Not yet not yet not yet not yet </em>
</p><p>Harry closed his eyes only to open them to a blazing inferno.</p><p>Fire licked at his skin, heat that should’ve burned him black but left no marks at all. It was unbearably hot and Harry could feel himself choking from the hot dry air and smoke that filled the air. The young man bent forward coughing. He stumbled into more flames which roared at him as fiery dragons as he looked for <em> somewhere, anywhere which had breathable oxygen. </em></p><p>Harry stumbled through piles of falling chairs and burning books which screamed. In the corner of his eye he saw heaps of materials bubble and warp from the heat. Random objects fell towards the ground, burning a bright fiery orange. Plates, lamps, bags and statues, the fire reached it all. Everything was burning but it wasn’t being consumed by the fire, just irrevocably changed.</p><p>(Harry noted that there were only three dragons that came charging at him unlike the last <em> burning dream </em> he had in which there were five. The fire was just the tiniest bit less intense and the air the slightest bit more breathable. But despite the minute improvements, Harry <em> knew. </em> Just like how Luna had told him before. <em> Not yet.) </em></p><p>The young man stumbled through the piles, bare hands touching burning lost things as he made his way through. There! He could see a boundary where the fire stepped and instead of burning and consuming, it was as if it was consumed instead. Harry moved towards it desperately, lungs aching from the smoke inhalation. Dream or not, he knew he was going to pass out soon if he didn’t reach that space.</p><p>A few meters away from his goal, Harry collapsed, chest heaving. Black spots danced in his vision. He could see, in the middle of the space in which the fire was tamed was a gleaming object. It shined, reflecting the bright light from the raging fire. Blue gems but red reflected light.</p><p>Harry blacked out. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He did not dream again that night.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Bonus!</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>(<em> Well he still managed to have to run from screaming girls with Neville in tow, but that was a lot less trouble than usual. </em>) </p><p> </p><p>He silently slipped in through an open entryway only to stop, narrowly avoiding running into the solid back of Neville Longbottom. The nervous Gryffindor was trapped between a gaggle of fourth year girls who were batting their eyelashes at the older boy who looked like he was about to step out of the entrance Harry just stepped into.</p><p>One of them leaned forward in an obvious ploy to make her breasts look big which was stupid because she only ended up looking absolutely ridiculous.</p><p>“Hi Neville.” the girl at the front leaned forward and Neville took another step back right into Harry.</p><p>Neville jumped with a small shout and turned quickly, prompting the girls flocking him to look behind the young man as well. Unfortunately for Harry, Neville’s movement had disturbed the cloak and the smooth fabric of the Hallow slipped over his still form revealing a wide-eyed Harry Potter clutching his wand.</p><p>“Oh…” Neville stared at Harry and for a moment, the only sound was the noise of people shifting outside the train. Within the next second one of the girls let out a shriek.</p><p>“Harry!”</p><p>Harry was half sure the pitch of her voice was enough to break the windows of the Hogwarts Express. A quick glance at his fellow Gryffindor told him the same thought was running through his head. Green eyes met brown and with a single nod, the Gryffindor boys knew what to do.</p><p>“Hey,” Harry said with an easy smile before grabbing Neville. “What’s up guys?”</p><p>And with a wordless flick of his wrist, the young man cast a disillusionment charm over them. In one fluid motion, he pulled the cloak back up over the two of them before they rushed out of the train and back into the crowds.</p><p>The girls burst into shouts of <em> Harry! </em> ‘s and <em> Neville! </em> ‘s, and an odd <em> “I love you!” </em>sprinkled in between, drawing the attention of the crowd before them. Thinking quickly, the two boys hidden under the cloak ran along, the length of the train, trusting Harry’s charm to hide their feet as the cloak fluttered around them.</p><p>Bursting into another entrance which was blessedly empty (whoever had been there probably followed the sound of their names shouted aloud), Harry and Neville collapsed laughing on the floor. Shrugging off the cloak, the two disillusioned boys grinned at each other’s invisible forms.</p><p>“Did,” Neville gasped for breath, “did you see when she started doing that weird eye thing! I thought she was having a seizure!”</p><p>“And- and- the thing with her boobs! What did they think that would do?” Harry exclaimed as the disillusionment charm finally faded away.</p><p>That was how the two young Gryffindors were found later on by a few more fans, trading stories and laughing together.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed the little extra at the end! When I first tried writing the first chapter, it was supposed to start with the train ride so I'd written it out already and wanted to use the short because I love Neville's growth and he deserves more tbh. Is it just me or is it getting hotter here? A little (very very little) sneak peek of the Diadem there.</p><p>Applause to anyone who got the reference to a Percy Jackson character (Apollo kids are the best)</p><p>The password (Fantasma or Phantom and the Monotropa Uniflora or the Ghost Flower) was inspired by my recent bout of nostalgia for Danny Phantom. </p><p>Please feel free to comment, critique or leave your thoughts! I'd love to hear them even the ones that hurt</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Don't be afraid to share your thoughts.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>